Educational Media Reviews Online

Although it has become something of a cliché, the oft repeated forecast of China replacing the U.S. as the world’s preeminent economic power is examined in detail in this outstanding work. In rigorous fashion, this documentary explores the full ramifications of the U.S. opening its doors to Chinese trade. Moreover, the film does a brilliant job of outlining China’s motives and strategies in economic policy, relations with neighboring nations, and domestic affairs.

The first portion of the film details the conscious effort on the part of Chinese officials to engage in export-driven economic growth, as opposed to the growth driven by domestic consumption, as has historically been the case with the US and Japan. The viewer is presented with the historical development of China’s relationships with Russia, the Koreas, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and their respective relevancies with current policies. This is a fascinating portion of the film, as the audience sees how China has outmaneuvered the U.S. in nearly every significant instance of overlapping interests. For instance, China is conspicuously establishing agreements with nations to corner the markets for metals and other soon to be scarce raw materials.

The next portion of the film conducts a well-executed examination of the nation’s internal problems, chiefly those related to China’s farming and Muslim populations. The film concludes with an exploration of China’s territorial exploits, the Opium Wars, the Tibetan occupation, and the Sino-Indian War. As a unifying theme throughout, the filmmakers view each of the preceding through the optic of China’s economic ascendancy.

This work is engaging, with compelling presentations of evidence. The film offers interviews with economists and authors, and provides impactful historical footage. A distinct feature of this film is its near-laudatory treatment of China, as deft and shrewd, seen in the first portion of the film gradually shifting to a theme of brutality and remorselessness, as it exposes persecution, repatriation, and human rights abuses. In terms of tone, another interesting and remarkably fitting aspect of this documentary is the selection of accompanying music. This film runs the gambit from traditional folk Chinese music to punk rock. Each time, the music is used as an appropriate accent to aid delivery of content.

This is a resoundingly successful film, which gives focused, cross-disciplinary treatment of an urgent and immense topic.